Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

Morongo is big on promotions and prizes, with giveaways in one recent month worth $150,000,– $1 for every square foot of the casino floor. On Sundays during one summer month, Morongo offered chances to win a new Corvette.

There's a lot of action and enthusiasm at the poker tables, in part a result of the 18-year-old age minimum. Monthly tournaments offer a more serious game, too.

Morongo craps California-style is a unique and high-intensity favorite among table games. Nonsmoking tables are available. Morongo has more than 80 table games.

Claim to fame: Morongo's location offers a convenience that is hard to resist for many Orange County players. The casino is located 73 miles east of Anaheim. That's a distance that can be covered in less than an hour and a half. It is so popular that it can be a challenge to get a slot machine at busy times. Morongo opened in 2004 and is still one of the largest tribal gaming facilities in the country. Blackjack is a casino staple, but there's more to choose from, including pai-gow poker, four-card poker, three-card Poker and EZ Baccarat. Morongo has a lot to offer slot players. There are more than 2,000 slot machines – traditional reels and video machines, plus new progressive games – with a variety of risk levels. The number of penny slots brings a lot of customers. Daily bingo games also are popular. The Sunday action is particularly popular, with the first game beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesdays feature new Double Trouble bingo sessions, with the first game also starting at 2 p.m. New Year's Eve will feature a $100,000 Bingo Bash. Morongo's Winner's Club offers free play and discounts including $2 off the Potrero Canyon buffet. Sage Spa is named for the sage that has long grown on the Morongo Indian Reservation. The spa features 14 treatment rooms with a variety of massages and skin-care treatments. Canyon Lanes Bowling is open from 10 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests can choose among a buffet, a food court and room service at meal time. Cielo, the fine-dining restaurant on the 27th floor, boasts views of Coachella Valley. Vibe nightclub features Funky Fridays, live-music dance parties. Many customers package trips to the casino with shopping at nearby Desert Hills Premium Outlets or Cabazon Outlets.

Did you know? Morongo's 27-story resort tower is the tallest building in the Inland Empire at 330 feet tall.